The focus on local government reform efforts in 2010 has been and will continue to be on townships. If you’ve missed that debate thus far, check out some amendments that unfortunately didn’t pass here and practical points on the need for change from Rep. Ed DeLaney here. You can even have your say on the Indiana Prosperity Project web site.
But another reform bill is to be heard today in the Senate Elections Committee. SB 241 contains some common sense provisions that should be adopted. Among them:
- Move city elections to even-numbered years (it costs a lot of money to conduct elections; why separate votes on municipal candidates from others)
- Place the names of city candidates before those running for township offices (who should not be on the ballot anyway)
- Give counties the option of electing a single county chief executive in place of the board of county commissioners(similar to how presidents, governors and mayors serve countries, states and cities). In addition, the county council would become the legislative and fiscal body
- Prevents employees who work in a political subdivision (city, county) from serving on the legislative body that governs that subdivision. In other words, stop people from having a say in deciding their own raises and other issues that directly impact their job. This is a growing problem in a number of areas
These would be good first steps toward a government that operates more effectively and efficiently.
No one ever said local government reform, especially when talking about townships, is an easy topic to completely understand. There’s a complicated system that has 150-plus years of history — and complexity — behind it. Lots of numbers are thrown about. Many people like, and benefit, from the status quo despite the inefficient use of taxpayer dollars.
Another day, another thought along the lines of: "Is there a prayer we will have a new state budget within the next two weeks?"